SMS Order Notifications for Restaurants
Keep customers informed at every step of their order with automatic SMS messages — no app required, no opt-in friction.
What are SMS Order Notifications?
SMS order notifications automatically send text messages to customers and admins as orders progress through each status. When an order is confirmed, the customer gets a text. When it's ready for pickup, they get another. No app, no account login required — just a text message to their phone.
Ordering.Tools routes SMS through two carriers — LinkMobility for Bulgaria and GatewayAPI for international numbers — automatically choosing the best route based on the customer's phone number. Messages are sent from your venue's name as the sender ID, and are available in both English and Bulgarian.
Why SMS Notifications Increase Customer Satisfaction
Reduce 'Where is My Order?' Calls
Every inbound call asking for an order status is a cost. SMS notifications answer that question automatically, before the customer picks up the phone.
No App Required
Unlike push notifications that require an installed app, SMS reaches every customer on every phone — even if they ordered as a guest.
Branded Sender Name
Messages appear from your restaurant's name, not an unknown number. Customers recognize it instantly and trust the message.
Bi-Directional Coverage
Admins get notified of new orders via SMS too — perfect for smaller venues without a dedicated admin dashboard screen.
How SMS Notifications Work
Enable SMS in Venue Settings
Turn on SMS notifications in the Notifications settings panel. Choose which order events trigger SMS messages for customers and/or admins.
Add Account Balance
SMS is a usage-based add-on. Each message costs a small per-SMS fee (from €0.04). Top up your account balance and messages send automatically.
Messages Send Automatically
As orders move through statuses — confirmed, preparing, ready, out for delivery — SMS messages fire automatically. No manual action needed.
Delivery Reports in the Dashboard
Every sent SMS is logged with delivery status, provider, cost, and segment count. Review your SMS activity in the Notifications log.
SMS Notification Features
Full Order Lifecycle Coverage
SMS templates cover every order status — confirmed, preparing, ready, out for delivery, delivered, picked up, and cancelled.
- ORDER_CONFIRMED — instant acknowledgment
- ORDER_READY — pickup notification
- ORDER_OUT_FOR_DELIVERY — delivery alert
- ORDER_CANCELLED — cancellation notice
Smart Carrier Routing
SMS routes automatically to LinkMobility (Bulgaria) or GatewayAPI (international) based on the customer's phone number prefix.
- LinkMobility for Bulgarian numbers
- GatewayAPI for international delivery
- GSM-7 and Unicode encoding auto-detection
- Multi-segment messages handled transparently
EN & BG Localized Templates
SMS messages are sent in the customer's language — English or Bulgarian — based on the locale they used to place the order.
- Templates in English and Bulgarian
- Locale-matched to customer's order language
- Venue name included in every message
- Concise — designed to fit in 1 SMS segment
Usage-Based Billing
Pay only for SMS you actually send. No monthly minimum, no commitment. Each message is charged from your pre-paid account balance.
- From €0.04 per SMS
- Account balance with top-up
- Per-message cost logged for full visibility
- Low-balance alerts to prevent send failures
SMS Notification Use Cases
Pickup Orders
Customers placing pickup orders get an SMS the moment their order is ready. No more hovering at the counter — they know exactly when to arrive.
Delivery Orders
Two SMS milestones keep delivery customers informed: order confirmed (we received it) and out for delivery (driver is on the way).
Busy Admin Teams
Admin SMS on new orders means the kitchen manager's phone pings instantly — perfect when the admin dashboard isn't always visible.
Scheduled Orders
Scheduled order reminders give customers advance notice before their order is due — reducing no-shows and prep waste.
International Venues
Venues serving international customers benefit from automatic carrier routing — one SMS API handles Bulgarian and global numbers seamlessly.
High-Volume Service
In rush periods, SMS status updates replace phone call overload. Customers stay informed without tying up staff phone lines.
Keep Customers Informed with Automatic SMS Order Updates
Customer expectations for real-time order updates have never been higher. SMS order notifications are the most reliable way to close that gap — they reach every customer on every phone, instantly, without requiring an app or account. Ordering.Tools builds SMS directly into the order status flow, so notifications fire automatically as your team works.
Smart Routing via LinkMobility and GatewayAPI
Ordering.Tools routes each SMS through the optimal carrier based on the recipient's phone number. Bulgarian numbers go through LinkMobility, while international numbers route through GatewayAPI. This two-carrier approach ensures maximum deliverability and competitive per-message pricing — without any configuration required on your part.
Pay Per SMS, No Monthly Fee
Unlike SMS platforms that charge large monthly minimums, Ordering.Tools SMS is pure usage-based billing. You top up your account balance and messages are charged as they send. A typical Bulgarian SMS costs around €0.04–0.08. For most restaurants, the monthly SMS bill is a fraction of what a single 'where is my order?' call costs in staff time.
Localized Templates in English and Bulgarian
Every SMS template is available in both English and Bulgarian. The language is chosen automatically based on the customer's locale when they placed the order — no manual switching. Messages are written to fit in a single SMS segment wherever possible, keeping costs low and messages easy to read at a glance.
Start Sending SMS Order Updates
Enable SMS notifications and reduce 'where is my order?' calls from day one.